Hot Diggity: 7 Simple, Rental-Friendly Tips To Keep Your Home Warm This Winter
Feeling cool as a cucumber this winter? Chilling at home has become a bit too literal? It’s not just you – this year’s cold season feels even chillier than usual, and inside our houses has been no exception! If you’re renting, you may feel like there is not much you can do to hide from the weather but, you don’t need to brave the cold!
Here are some rental-friendly tips that will warm up your home this winter and of course, be sure to get the OK from your property manager before any DIY or small modifications.
Close Up Those Curtains
Thin curtains blowing in the breeze might look romantic, but that breeze is bringing with it an icy chill. One of the most effective ways to keep your house warm is by hanging up curtains – and the thicker the better! Replace flimsy window coverings with heavier ones, ideally wider than the window frame, which will stop the cold from seeping in through the glass and any draughts that might be coming through. If you feel like a bit of DIY, adding a removable pelmet on top of the curtain rail will add another layer of insulation – even a bit of cardboard or a blanket blocking off the top will help loads.
Seal Your Windows
As well as some sturdy drapes, you can maximise your windows’ winter effectiveness with a few nifty tricks. Adding a layer of window film may seem like it won’t do much, but that little layer will help insulate the glass in both winter and summer. You can also add some self-adhesive foam sealing strips – they’re a super cost effective way to make sure no sneaky cold draughts are getting in.
If you live in an older home, you may also have a charming open fireplace. If you’re not using the fireplace itself for heating, the chimney is liable to suck out any warmth you’ve managed to generate in the home. Products like chimney draught excluders and chimney balloons can be easily installed to stop any airflow up or down the chimney – just make sure to leave an obvious cord so you don’t forget it’s up there!
Get Yourself A Sneaky Snake
Speaking of draughts, there’s nothing worse than getting your house nice and cosy and then feeling a cold breeze come in under the door. Door snakes are an easy and affordable addition to seal up any gaps along the bottom of doors – whether the cold air is coming from outside or you want to get one room extra cosy. While they’re super affordable, you can also DIY your own door snake if you’ve got some scrap fabric laying around and a few cups of dry rice or beans!
Make The Most of The Sunshine
We know we just spent ages telling you to close your curtains – but you’ve also got to make hay as the sun shines, so to speak. On a clear, sunny day, make sure to make the most of any natural warmth coming in: open up the curtains, and find the best warm spot to curl up like a cat. As soon as you’re not soaking up any winter sun through the window, close those bad boys up!
Rug Up
If you’ve got timber, tile or concrete flooring, you’ll know all too well the cold shock on your toes each cold morning. While you can just chuck on a pair of fluffy socks, the cold floor (and draughts coming through any gaps) are lowering your whole home’s temperature. Adding rugs throughout the house will have the benefit of not only blocking any draughts, but providing an additional layer of insulation and shielding your toes from the cold!
If the chill from the floor is next-level, you may be able to install insulation yourself. If you’ve got safe and easy access to the crawl space underneath the house, most polyester insulation fits rather niftily between your floorboard joists!
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Go Small And Go Home
While we’re certainly fans of high ceilings and big, open-plan homes, it doesn’t make it easy when it comes to keeping warm! During the colder months, we tend to migrate to the cosier, smaller rooms to hang out. Whether you’re working from home or chilling out with some Netflix, consider moving into rooms that can be closed off to maximise the heating efficiency. Not only does closing the door help keep the warmth in, but lower ceilings means the heat you do generate doesn’t float up to the roof!
Cook Up A Comfort Meal
In summer we’re all about cooking outside and making fresh, easy meals – but in winter, we’re ready to dive into warm bowls of our favourite comfort foods. Nourishing soups and long, slow roasting is on the agenda! Not only is a slow-cooked meal warming as you eat, but you have the added benefit of the warm, delicious kitchen – whether it’s from an oven cooking away all day or a gently simmering soup.
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This article is sponsored by REIWA and very happily endorsed by us. Please see our Editorial Policy for more info.